RailRoadFan.com

The steel industry sucks right now. As a result Keystone Shipping, which operates the ships has laid off 100 workers and sent three ships to an early lay up. Keystone operates the ships for owner Canadian National. Three of the pellet plants serviced by the ships are currently idled as a result of the lack of demand for steel. US steel is the largest customer using deliveries from those ships. The lack of steel demand is due to the pandemic. The trickle down from this pandemic keeps getting worse.

Current layups, with more to come. This is the list...

Algoma Central
Algoma Compass - Owen Sound
Algoma Discovery - Montreal
Algoma Spirit - Sarnia

American Steamship
American Century - Toledo
American Spirit - Toledo
American Integrity -Upcoming.
H Lee White - Sturgeon Bay
John J Boland - Sturgeon Bay
Sam Laud - Toledo
Walter J McCarthy Jr - Toledo

Central Marine Logistics - Wilfred Sykes at Sturgeon Bay

CSL
Frontenac-Thunder Bay
Oakglen - Montreal
Salarium- Montreal
Spruceglen - Thunder Bay
Atlantic Huron- Accident damage at Soo Locks.

Great Lakes Fleet
Philip R Clarke -Toledo 7/2 out for year until 2021
Roger Blough -Sturgeon Bay 7/9 out for the year until 2021
Edgar B Speer - Upcoming.

Interlake Steamship Company
Hon James L Oberstar -Sturgeon Bay
Lee Tregurtha - Superior out for the year until 2021
Stewart J Cort -Upcoming.

Another factor is the rapid demise of coal fired power plants. With less coal being hauled for power more shipping capacity is available.

They are still expecting more ships to go into layup. This is effecting the steel and coal industry a lot. This also isn’t helping Interlake Steamship Company with the new ship they want to build with American steel